Curriculum reform “isn’t enough”

Reason’s Lisa Snell lays the smackdown on arguments by Sol Stern in his article “School Choice Isn’t Enough” (Click here for previous post), which labels instructionist reform in Massachusetts a “miracle” for improving student test score and concludes that reformers should focus on instruction reform rather than school choice.

Snell asks:

1. Why did Massachusetts’ reforms seemingly only improve scores among higher-income white students – and expand the racial and socio-economic gaps in student achievement?
2. Why didn’t similary instructional reforms in Indiana and California result in similar performance gains?

She concludes that school choice – which has led to academic gains for low-income and minority students – is needed for all students to have a chance at a quality education.